


Dog Ears

by Hitsugi_Zirkus



Category: DRAMAtical Murder
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-05
Updated: 2014-11-05
Packaged: 2018-02-24 05:00:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2569067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hitsugi_Zirkus/pseuds/Hitsugi_Zirkus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Aoba is a dog person and a boy across the crosswalk has found his weakness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dog Ears

**Author's Note:**

> What the fuck. What the fuck how is this the first straight up Renao I've written without them being paired with other people? What the hell is wrong with me. This is like my second hardest ship, I am a disgrace to everything. Please accept this nonsense fluff in apology. Even though its dumb and self-indulgent.
> 
> Listen to this playlist, it was what made me write this in the first place, so: http://8tracks.com/firelords/sleepy-tunes (someone really needs to tell me how to do hyperlinks here...)

There were dog ears on his hoodie.

Plenty of girls Aoba knew would wear something like that, but not really a guy, and wearing it so nonchalantly. He had to have been the same age as Aoba, or around there, if he was on the university grounds. He was faced toward Aoba, but not looking at him, his eyes more focused on the ground. Even if he was looking up, Aoba would just be another figure on the other side of the crosswalk.

Cars zoomed by, but Aoba kept staring at the dog ears. He wanted to poke at them; he'd always been a dog person. And the ears on the guy's hood were so small and cute.

The autumn wind picked up and Aoba shivered, pulling up his own hood, then put his large pink headphones over them. Just as he switched on his music, the signal to walk was given, and a flood of students spilled onto the crosswalk. Aoba gave the guy with the dog hoodie another glance as they passed each other - he was tall, his expression impassive but not unkind.

On the other side of the street was a two-story cafe, and through the windows, Aoba saw his friends Koujaku and Mizuki wave at him. Aoba forgot all about Dog Ears and grinned, going over.

* * *

An hour and a half of free time was between two of Aoba's classes that he usually spent with his friends. Koujaku was a teacher at the nearby beauty school and came over to hang out for lunch with Aoba and Mizuki, who was two years older and a senior. The three had known each other for some years, and it meant a lot to Aoba that he could still hang out with them - thinking of lunch time was what usually got him through the morning.

Aoba made his way over to the cafe, a sigh of relief escaping him as he put more distance between himself and his grueling history class. The air was a little chilly again, and he zipped up his jacket, putting on his headphones just as he got to the crosswalk.

At first, he was just absorbed in the electronic beats of his favorite band, nodding his head in time. He glanced up - looked like it would rain any time now; clouds had just been ominously building for the past two days - then back down, falling onto a familiar hoodie.

It wasn't just someone with similar clothing, it was really Dog Ears. Just as Aoba had been taken into his world of music, the tall boy on the other side of the crosswalk was engrossed in something. Spread open on one of his forearms was a book, and with his other hand, he was scribbling something down on it. His head was bowed low, dark bangs just peeking out from beneath the hood. The concentration put him apart from the rest of the crowd waiting around them that chatted among themselves or texted.

Students really were busy this time of year. Midterms were popping up all over the place. Which reminded Aoba, he should probably put a reminder  on his phone to go to start his psychology research paper soon.

The light changed from green to yellow to red, and the crosswalk was flooded once more. Aoba was still mulling over his assignment when Dog Ears came closer. Aoba paused, only for a second, to glance back at the book he had. A person passed by, blocking the way, but Aoba was able to catch a glimpse of what he'd thought been a notebook. Abstract designs that made no sense to Aoba splattered the page.

 _Graphic Designs major_ , he guessed before moving on.

* * *

There was a bandage around Mizuki's neck when he unzipped his jacket. Aoba widened his eyes at seeing it, then reached over to punch his friend's arm.

"You totally got it!" he said with an incredulous laugh.

"Yup, and you would not believe the pretty penny it cost me." Mizuki was sitting across from him, a broad grin on his face. Aoba had arrived early after his class was dismissed fifteen minutes before, and now the two waited for late Koujaku, who was late in contrast. “I got it earlier today, and man it itches.”

Aoba snorted. “Did it hurt? I mean, that’s your _neck_ , man.”

Mizuki made a face. “Ahh, it did. It was worth it though.” He zipped his jacket back up and took a sip of his sweet tea. “When are you gonna be getting yours, huh?”

“I told you, I’m not sure yet.” Truth be told, Aoba had been saying since he was teenager that he wanted to get a tattoo - Mizuki might’ve taken that to heart, considering what an artist he was. For as long as Aoba had known him, Mizuki was always drew somewhere - in his sketchbook, on a napkin, on his own skin. Aoba still didn’t know what image he’d want to have permanently marked on him - he didn’t think of his whole body as a canvas like Mizuki did.

His cellphone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out to see a message from Koujaku, frowning at its contents.

“What?”

“That dumb hippo isn’t coming. Said he got held back by a student.”

“Were they perchance of the female persuasion?” Mizuki picked up that same knowing monotone as Aoba, but he was also smiling, shaking his head. “Why am I not surprised. Well,” he tossed his head back as he downed the rest of his tea, putting it down with a satisfied sigh, “if that’s how it’s going to be, I’d better head out to the studio now.”

Aoba hid part of his face behind his cup of coffee, making a pout. “I get it, my company isn’t good enough for you.”

Mizuki got up, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. At the same time Aoba watched him come around the table, someone coming from upstairs caught his eye. Mizuki returned the punch of earlier, grinning. “Shut up, I love you.” He blew a kiss for good measure as he left for the door. “See you later!”

With an unamused hum, Aoba waved at him, although a smile tugged at the corner of his lips as well. Taking small sips from his coffee, Aoba turned back over to the direction of the stairs. There, he spotted who was unmistakably Dog Ears. His hood was down for once, a short, fluffy mess of dark hair on his head. The sketchbook from before was shoved into his bag before the backpack was zipped up and secured over his shoulder. Aoba continued to watch him, lips still pressed on his cup, as he came around to the entrance.

Their eyes caught as Dog Ears started to cross Aoba’s path. Aoba blinked, embarrassed to be caught staring, and he offered an awkward smile. Dog Ears slowed down and smiled back, brightening up his serious-looking face and the unique amber color of his eyes.

“Hello,” he said, voice deep and unbelievably sexy.

Aoba lowered his cup just a fraction. “Hi.”

And that was that. Dog Ears went on out the door, and from where he sat, Aoba could see him walk off, and wait at the crosswalk he’d seen him from the other side of all those other times. So he was usually leaving this place when Aoba was about to enter it, huh? Or maybe it was just coincidence.

Aoba drank, wondering how to pass the rest of his lunch when he realized his first reaction to Dog Ears’ voice was “ _unbelievably sexy_ ”.

 _Watch it, Aoba. That gay Noiz is always talking about you having is showing_.

The coffee was warmer than usual going down Aoba’s throat, spreading his bloodstream with caffeinated embarrassment.

 

* * *

The middle of autumn brought rain at last. It pattered noisily on top of Aoba’s umbrella, the wind occasionally blowing the droplets every which way that he was wondering if it was even worth it to go to the cafe. Would anyone chance going there who wasn’t seeking nearby shelter?

Aoba was torn for a second, between texting Mizuki and Koujaku about not going, and just keep trudging ahead to meet his favorite part of the day.

His legs kept going.

By the time he got to the crosswalk, his shoes were so wet even his ankle socks felt soaked and plastered on his feet. While it wasn’t exactly chilly outside, Aoba was really craving that cup of black coffee right now. He hadn’t slept all that well last night either as he was kept up both by studying and the neighbors below that felt like having their own drunken party. “Assholes, they could’ve at least shared the booze,” Noiz had said, which was funny considering he always complained about the taste of beer.

In a cluster of others with their own umbrellas, Aoba waited, and searched across the street. Between the constant drop of rainfall and the cars rushing by with their lights on, it was hard to individually make out anyone. But even under the peeks of umbrellas, Aoba didn’t see the familiar dark hoodie. Even though everyone was paying attention to each other or their phone or the rain, Aoba looked down quickly like he’d been caught doing something bad.

It wasn’t anything. It was just familiarity. Aoba found comfort in familiarity. But one person being absent from the other side of a crowded, rainy crosswalk wasn’t going to change that. He’d dry off inside the cafe and laugh and talk with his best friends. That was enough to make his day.

People rushed onto the street with coats flapping and friends huddled one umbrella as the signal to cross flashed. Aoba jogged to keep up and get out of the rain as soon as possible, and narrowly dodged one idiot who decided to speed by on his goddamn Vespa. Aoba scowled after him, then cursed as he witnessed Dog Ears back up from the rider and slip back on the concrete, a box of pens and pencils spilling open.

“Holy shit!” Aoba quickly went to his side, assessed the damage. “Are you okay?”

Dog Ears groaned, but his hands were fumbling out, trying to grab at his fallen supplies. It didn’t look like he had an umbrella, and his hoodie was uselessly stuck to his body, saturated with water. Although it wouldn’t help, Aoba put the umbrella over both their heads and helped pick things up with his free hand.

“Hey, come on, let’s get out of street first, then we can…” Aoba grabbed what he could and Dog Ears did the same before they stumbled back the side of the street with a cafe. They huddled outside it, under the umbrella as the box was opened and the art tools put inside. Aoba caught the name ‘Ren’ written on top of it when it was closed and stuffed into a wet backpack.

Dog Ears - _Ren_ \- let out a deep breath. “Thank you. And sorry for the inconvenience.”

“No, that wasn’t anything, I mean, that guy was fucking nuts,” Aoba babbled breathlessly, offering a smile.

Ren looked up through his dripping bangs and returned it, small and gentle and grateful. Aoba wondered if he recognized him as much as he recognized Ren. Probably not. Aoba looked down at Ren’s soaked clothes. “Are you going to class like that?”

“Ah.” On cue, Ren shivered a bit. “No. I was going to the bus stop.”

“You’ve got time then. Come inside for a bit and dry off and I’ll walk you there when the rain lets up.” Aoba couldn’t believe the offer came out of his mouth so naturally, like he made these statements all the time, like he was familiar with Ren or something.

But Ren didn’t look the least bit weirded out. He actually seemed to be giving the offer some consideration. “Inside?”

Rolling with it, Aoba nodded. “Yeah, right here at the cafe. I have lunch with my friends in here. You’re welcome to join us. I mean, they wouldn’t mind, I’m sure.” Was that pushy? Aoba wasn’t sure. He was out of practice with this kind of thing in a sober setting.

Ren smiled again. “I just came from in there. But I wouldn’t mind joining you, if that’s alright.”

“Hey, I’m the one that offered.” Aoba led them inside, closing his umbrella and giving it a good shake before nodding at Mizuki and Koujaku, who’d spotted him. “Let’s get drinks to warm up first.”

One of the employees, seeing Ren so drenched, got out a towel and offered it for him to use while he was in the cafe as they got their orders. Ren took it with gratitude and gave another warm smile that made Aoba feel lightheaded. Judging by the employee’s flushed cheeks, he wasn’t the only one.

Only after Ren dumped nearly seven packets of sugar in his coffee did they make their way over to Mizuki and Koujaku’s table.

“Yo, Aoba,” Koujaku said with a wave. “Who’s this?”

Although he knew his name, Aoba decided to turn to Ren and let him introduce himself.

“Ren,” he said with a nod.

“This is Koujaku and Mizuki. And I’m Aoba.” He pointed to each of them in turn. “We bumped into each other on the street just now. It’s crazy out there, this guy nearly hit him with his Vespa.”

“Jesus, asshole.” Even as Mizuki said it, he was stifling a laugh. There was a mutual hatred of Vespas among the three of them. “Who the hell even drives on of those things in this weather?”

Aoba laughed and took his seat, looking over at Ren who was still standing. “You can sit.”

“Yeah, join us. Get yourself dry,” Koujaku said.

Looking embarrassed from the attention, Ren slid down in the chair clumsily. It screeched when he scooted closer to the table, and his face grew pink. “Sorry.” He put his bag on the floor and started rubbing the towel in his hair. His hands were big, splotches of color stained on the tips that Aoba guessed must’ve been from working on something.

As Ren put his hands down to let the towel drape on top of his head, Aoba searched for something to say - anything would do, really. “I’m surprised you still decided to come,” he said to Koujaku. “Isn’t this out of your way?”

“Well, it was perfectly fine when I left,” Koujaku sighed, twirling his spoon around. “It’s going to be a pain going back though.”

“Ditch the rest of the day,” Mizuki teased. “I’m sure your fanclub can survive without you.”

Koujaku's laugh dripped sarcasm. “Very funny.”

A wet rustle of fabric sounded by Aoba and he realized Ren was wriggling out of his hoodie to drape it on the back of his chair to dry. His shirt underneath wasn’t in much better condition though, the fabric stretched and clinging to his chest and biceps, outlining the indents of his abs and…

Aoba faced forward, picking at his hot cup. Mizuki and Koujaku were good at occupying his mind, and they passed the next half hour making idle talk and getting warm and dry. Even though he hadn’t been as worse off as Ren, Aoba was already feeling better and more content. He hoped Ren was too. For the most part, he was quiet, watching the conversation with the corners of his lips slightly upturned as he warmed his hands with his incredibly sweet coffee.

Rattling his spoon against the fragile rim of his teacup, Koujaku took a glance outside. “Still looks pretty bad. I’m going to get another cup and see about heading out anyway.” He got up, taking his cup with him.

Mizuki watched him over, then turned his gaze to Aoba with such a _look_ that Aoba knew something was trying to be communicated to him. He only frowned in response, but then Mizuki gave Ren a quick pointed glance. Frantic, Aoba widened his eyes and shook his head minutely, to which his friend only fought back a smile and got up himself. “I,” he announced, “am gonna take a piss.”

“Nice, Mizuki. Real nice,” Aoba said flatly, giving him that universal look of “we-are-gonna-have-WORDS-and-then-I’ll-kill-you”. That aside, Mizuki just left him purposefully alone with Ren. Why? He was trying so hard not to be obvious either... 

Ren shifted beside Aoba, leaning down to bring his backpack up to his lap. It was still glistening from the saturation of water, but Ren opened his bag up and shuffled through the contents inside. He pulled out a notebook, a folder, holding them out for brief inspection before putting them back. What Aoba assumed what his sketchbook was the last to get looked at, and Ren actually pulled it out and examined it. 

"Are all your things okay?" 

"I think so."

Aoba nodded to the hardcover book. "And that?" 

"It's my sketchbook," Ren said, starting to flip through the pages. "I was most worried about it, since I didn't want it to get wet. But it looks fine." 

While Aoba didn't want to be nosy, he tilted his head enough to get a look at the network of ink and lead and color splashed on the otherwise bare pages. There were the abstract designs, something that looked like a detailed sketch of a building and what Aoba thought might be a person. But Ren flipped too quickly and then snapped the book shut, looking at Aoba.

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to peek, I was just curious." 

Ren hunched his shoulders a bit, looking away. "It's okay. I suppose I'm self-conscious." 

"Hmm, don't be. I'm sure if you've got a book just for your work, then you've done enough to be getting good." 

The smile returned to Ren's face. "If you ask next time, I'll be better prepared, and I'll show you." He put the sketchbook back in his bag after he said it, and hung the towel around his neck as he reached to put his hoodie on. 

Aoba was going to comment on how wet and cold it probably was, but then realized Ren had said next time. Even if there actually wasn't one, Ren proposed the possibility of it, that they could talk again, and maybe not get caught in the rain. But the slight chance turned to a greater one when Aoba remembered that he technically saw Ren everyday. If he initiated it, they could talk more, maybe have more afternoons sitting in the cafe like this, and by then Ren would be more comfortable with him, maybe even draw something in front of Aoba. He'd see those dark bangs fall over and tickle his eyelashes as he leaned down to work, just as Aoba had seen him do before. 

Ren had drawn up his hood, those dog ears still managing to stick up, and then he sneezed. Aoba tried not to laugh at the sound. 

"It's still raining. Want to get another drink?" 

Sniffling, Ren nodded. 

"You probably should keep letting that dry."

"I like wearing it." He frowned as he said it, like it made no sense for anyone to try and urge him out of the hoodie.

Aoba _did_ laugh a little at that, and reached out to finally give one of those ears a little tug. "Hmm, well, I like it too."

Ren's cheeks grew dark with a blush, but he let Aoba play with the ears and gave him a toothy grin that made him look just like a happy puppy.

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact, Ren had been watching Aoba too and his sketchbook has some pages dedicated to doodles of Aoba listening to his headphones, sitting in the cafe, and smiling cutely from behind his cup of coffee. Aoba was close by the way, Ren is actually an Architectural Engineering major with a minor in Graphic Design. Aoba’s a Psychology major with a minor in Education. You know. Just in case you wanted to know. 
> 
> I'm supposed to be doing strictly Nanowrimo, one of which is a Clearao series but. This happened. Follow me on tumblr (pumpkinhearted) if you wanna witness its progress. Or if you wanna just hang, we can totes do that.


End file.
